The era of school records as a "lifeline" is over.

The 2026 high school graduation exam will see groundbreaking changes in university admission regulations. In Dong Nai, 12th-grade students are entering the final stretch with a new mindset: proactive, focused, and no longer relying on the luck of having "good" academic records.

Students at Phu Ngoc High School (Dinh Quan commune) learn about university admission opportunities in 2026. Photo: Cong Nghia

The discontinuation of independent university admissions based on academic transcripts and the requirement of a minimum exam score of 15/30 points are forcing students to focus all their efforts on this important exam, ensuring they don't waste the opportunity after 12 years of studying.

Teachers and students are getting ready together.

Before the 2026 Lunar New Year holiday, students in Dong Nai province have entered the second semester (2025-2026 school year). From the very beginning of the second semester, the atmosphere of revision at high schools throughout the province has become more intense. Sharing his thoughts on this, Nguyen Hoang Nam, a 12th-grade student at Xuan Loc High School (Xuan Loc commune), said: “This year, the regulations for admission based on academic transcripts are stricter, so we don't have the mindset of studying and playing at the same time. I am actively solving sample exam questions with high difficulty levels to confidently enter university based on my actual abilities.”

Provincial Party Committee member, Director of the Department of Education and Training, Truong Thi Kim Hue:

Proactive - practical - ensuring no student is left behind.

The Department has requested that educational institutions strictly disseminate the new regulations to every student and parent, ensuring that no candidate misses the opportunity to enter university due to a lack of information. Schools need to focus on innovating exam preparation methods towards developing competencies, helping students become familiar with the highly differentiated exam structure so that they can confidently compete for admission to top universities based on their actual academic abilities.

Even for top-tier schools, the competitive pressure never cools down. Ms. Pham Thi Thanh Ha, Principal of Tran Bien High School (Tam Hiep Ward), said: “The school constantly reminds students, even those with good or excellent academic performance, not to be complacent about the new regulations. They need to understand that their academic transcripts are only a necessary condition, while their high school graduation exam scores are the sufficient condition and the decisive factor for admission to top universities, which have a very high selection process.”

Alongside public schools, private schools are joining the competition with high determination. Ms. Pham Thi Ngoc Ly, Principal of Bui Thi Xuan Primary, Secondary, and High School (Tam Hiep Ward), affirmed: “We instill the spirit of 'hard work leads to success' in our students right from the beginning of the 12th grade, not waiting until the second semester. After 12 years of studying, this is the time for them to put all their effort into proving that, through their own efforts, private school students can absolutely achieve the highest scores, not only for the goal of graduating from high school, but also to secure a place in universities.”

This proactive approach is also evident in the fact that students have begun to balance their time between improving their grades in class and practicing exam questions to meet the new requirements. Instead of focusing solely on their strong subjects for early admission, they now pay more attention to compulsory subjects like Math and Literature to ensure a good average grade for graduation. Many self-managed study groups have formed right in the classrooms, where students discuss new types of exercises and share experiences in taking multiple-choice exams based on the 2026 exam structure.

Strong foundation, secure the minimum passing score.

The core of the 2026 university admissions regulations is the tightening of the academic transcript-based admission method. According to the new regulations, candidates using their academic transcripts for admission must achieve a minimum total score of 15/30 in the three corresponding subjects of the high school graduation exam. This means that academic transcripts are no longer the sole "safe ticket," but must be accompanied by proven practical abilities demonstrated through the high school graduation exam. Tran Minh Quan, a student from Ngo Quyen High School (Tran Bien ward), commented: "I no longer consider my academic transcript as my only 'lifeline,' but instead focus on studying to get a high score on the graduation exam, because this is the safest key to getting into my desired major."

According to experts, to achieve the best results, students need to understand the regulations limiting the number of registered preferences to a maximum of 15 in order to make focused and careful choices. Prioritizing preferences from highest to lowest should be based on a thorough analysis of the quotas and cut-off scores of universities over the years, avoiding indiscriminate registration that leads to waste. Especially for teacher training programs, the regulation only considers preferences from 1 to 5, requiring candidates to have a clear career path from the moment they submit their applications.

Another important point in the 2026 exam regulations is the adjustment of bonus points and foreign language certificates towards greater transparency and fairness. Bonus points for IELTS or other international certificates will now only be used to convert points for the Foreign Language subject or to add bonus points according to the regulations, no longer creating significant disparities. Students should focus on maximizing their academic scores from the six semesters, but must ensure that Mathematics or Literature contributes at least one-third of the total score, as required by the Ministry of Education and Training .

Finally, applying information technology in reviewing and updating admission information is an indispensable solution for students in Dong Nai in the digital age. Students should regularly access the Ministry of Education and Training's electronic portal to keep up-to-date with technical adjustments to online application registration. Using mock exam software also helps students assess their own abilities, thereby adjusting their study plans in the most flexible and effective way.

Cong Nghia

Source: https://baodongnai.com.vn/xa-hoi/202602/het-thoi-hoc-ba-la-phao-cuu-sinh-1ee366a/